Bobby robson last night mourned Newcastle's goalless draw at Leicester as two vital points lost in their surprise title challenge.

Bobby robson last night mourned Newcastle's goalless draw at Leicester as two vital points lost in their surprise title challenge.

And the United boss blasted his side's first-half display as their worst 45 minutes of the season.

The Magpies dropped two points off the pace at the top of the Premiership after an often torrid afternoon at the hands of the relegation-haunted Foxes.

Robson said: "I feel it was two points lost and we gave our worst 45-minute performance of the season in the first half.

"I was really disappointed, we were half a yard off the pace all over the pitch. We did pick it up after half-time - we didn't think they could keep their high-energy football up all match - and got our game together.

"But I've told my players: 'Teams who are going to try and win the championship have to come to a place like this and get all three points'."

Newcastle might have done just that had Alan Shearer not headed wide from close range in the second half. "Alan's missed the type of chance he usually takes with his eyes closed," Robson said. "It was a big miss, and he knows it.

"Sylvain Distin also missed one for us in the second half in a goalmouth scramble when he miscued. We had chances to win it.

"But Leicester never gave up and wouldn't let us settle on the ball and deserved their point."

Robson refused to rule his side out of the championship race: "We won't be very far away. We've got some good home games to play and the fact is, we might have lost this game last year."